Writer’s bold statement about best fish supper

Arbroath takeaway is the ‘plaice’ to go, says Glasgow author

A Scottish author was so impressed with a fish supper he had in Arbroath he composed a poem in its honour.

Inspiration struck Johnny Gauld, who also goes under the name of Caledonian Cowboy, after he tasted the fish and chips at Peppo’s Harbour Chip Bar last month.

He cooked up a six-verse poem the same night, proclaiming it Scotland’s greatest fish supper.

Mr Gauld then surprised the owners of the long-established business when he returned to Arbroath and piped the poem into the shop.

A Bold Statement Indeed (Scotland’s Greatest Fish Supper) is now proudly displayed in the shop, which has been a fixture in Arbroath since 1951.

Mr Gauld, 43, said: “I try fish suppers throughout the country. Anyone who has a fish supper knows if it’s a good one or a bad one.

“Peppo’s in Arbroath I always knew it was good. I had my first supper there in a wee while about six weeks ago and I just thought that’s the best by far.

“I asked Rob Johnston, who is the proprietor of Osborne Guest House, to carry the poem down the street behind me and hold it proudly aloft as I played the bagpipes.

“As we piped it into the shop, the owners started dancing and the two young lassies they’ve got serving the fish and chips started having a ceilidh behind the counter.

“Then I made the announcement that I’ve written this poem as a tribute to the greatest fish supper in Scotland.

“They were totally over the moon with it.”

Yesterday evening Peppo’s owners Johnny and Frank Orsi described the accolade as “brilliant”. “The guy’s been in before and always says they are braw but we never expected all this,” said Johnny, who took over the business from his father 41 years ago.

“We started dancing when he came in and then he presented the poem.

“We were chuffed when we read it. I then danced down the street as he played the pipes.”

The Glasgow-based writer was a frequent visitor to Arbroath as a child, with six weeks of every summer spent at the Red Lion Caravan Park.

Mr Gauld describes Peppo’s fish supper as “old fashioned, in a good way”.

He often returns to the area, and Seaton Cliffs were the basis of a collection of poems composed over a 24-hour period as he walked from Arbroath to Auchmithie.

Johnny and Frank Orsi with Johnny Gauld who wrote a poem honouring the Arbroath shop’s fish supper.